Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[Saga Ruby]

We also sailed on the Home Line's Oceanic in 1975. It was our 7th Wedding Anniversary and we booked a suite. Will never forget the look on our faces when we saw the bunk beds! Must say the dining experience still is the best we've ever experienced.

. . . set the benchmark for cruising for me. It was all about the exotic itinerary.

 

Whew! I've had many inside cabins back in the 70s and 80s - it was the only tariff I could afford on Royal Viking. I had a pull-out sofa on RVL - glad to have missed those bunk beds!

 

Yesterday I finally downloaded the photographs which I took during the Alaska cruise. Here are my four favourites.Donald.

 

I agree with Marian. That last photo looked like a breaching whale. What lovely postcard shots you have, Donald.

 

Ruby

[Saga Ruby]

I'm so proud and happy that each of you has kept this thread going - 4,600 Posts and we're creeping up on a quarter million Views.

 

It is hard to overlook the irony of Saga Rose gone to the breakers and yet her thread is still active. I agree that the fountains of information that have been offered herein are educational and always fascinating. A particular tip of the hat to those of you who have posted recent photos and souvenirs from Days Gone By. I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that your efforts and input have been so much appreciated.

 

Query - I still have laundry tags on some of my clothes from various cruise ships. In particular, one tag is so embedded in the cotton that I do not dare pull it off. But, then again, why would I? It is a small souvenir that makes me smile, all these years later. Do any of you have laundry tags attached to your cruise clothes?

 

Query - my son says that tariffs for the monster "of the Seas" ships are quite high. I wonder when the demand for "new" will diminish and Allure and Oasis cabins will compete with more reasonable tariffs? One of the many reasons I like our thread is that we appreciate the beauty of the older, more mature, smaller ships, that we are not a neon-and-adrenalin crowd. Let's hear it for quiet days at sea!

 

Ruby

[MMDown Under]

I'm so proud and happy that each of you has kept this thread going - 4,600 Posts and we're creeping up on a quarter million Views.

 

It is hard to overlook the irony of Saga Rose gone to the breakers and yet her thread is still active. I agree that the fountains of information that have been offered herein are educational and always fascinating. A particular tip of the hat to those of you who have posted recent photos and souvenirs from Days Gone By. I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that your efforts and input have been so much appreciated.

 

Query - I still have laundry tags on some of my clothes from various cruise ships. In particular, one tag is so embedded in the cotton that I do not dare pull it off. But, then again, why would I? It is a small souvenir that makes me smile, all these years later. Do any of you have laundry tags attached to your cruise clothes?

 

Query - my son says that tariffs for the monster "of the Seas" ships are quite high. I wonder when the demand for "new" will diminish and Allure and Oasis cabins will compete with more reasonable tariffs? One of the many reasons I like our thread is that we appreciate the beauty of the older, more mature, smaller ships, that we are not a neon-and-adrenalin crowd. Let's hear it for quiet days at sea!

 

Ruby

 

I enjoy following this thread because it is entertaining, as well as educational. Thanks Ruby.

 

Anything that still makes you smile is worth keeping, Ruby. I've never had a laundry tag from a cruise ship.

 

Reading recently about P&O building another huge ship, I also have been wondering what is going to happen with all these huge ships when people tire of cruising on huge ships. As Cruise Lines are not building any new medium size ships, I think we are fortunate to still be able to cruise on smaller ships. I have no desire to travel on a mega ship across an ocean.

[Saga Ruby]

Reading recently about P&O building another huge ship, I also have been wondering what is going to happen with all these huge ships when people tire of cruising on huge ships.

 

What size is the new P&O ship going to be? Will Oasis and Allure probably remain the largest ships afloat or will "they" keep building larger and larger ships?

 

I agree about the future for these megaships. Whither goest when it's time to retire them? Do other countries buy them and squeeze out the last iota of customer tariffs or do the breakers spend years on this final task?

 

In speaking to friends who enjoy sailing on maiden voyages on huge ships, their main enjoyment of the ship is the excitement of a new ship. They never talk about ports on these initial voyages. How long can cruise lines cater to "new?"

 

Ruby

[Saga Ruby]

I was just comparing sizes for the P&O newbie versus the megaships of RCCL. The latter ships win the "size matters" category.

 

Marion and Host Sharon - will you be booking passage on the P&O ship within the foreseeable future? I would appreciate you spending your hard-earned cash to satisfy my curiosity. Harumph!

 

Ruby

[MMDown Under]

Double Post

Edited October 11, 2012 by MMDown Under

[MMDown Under]

Work Starts on P&O's Biggest Cruise Ship

 

(12:00 Noon EDT) -- Work has started on the newest -- and largest ever -- ship built for P&O Cruises and the U.K. market. A steel-cutting ceremony was held at the Monfalcone shipyard of Fincantieri near Trieste, Italy, for the as-yet-unnamed ship on October 8.

 

The 141,000-ton, 3,611-passenger ship will be launched in spring 2015. The next significant date will be the keel-laying in May next year, which involves the placement in the dry dock of one large section of the ship's hull and the beginning of the actual ship build.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5016

 

You can count me out, Ruby, but Sharon may cruise on her, in the name of research!

[Kapricorn]

Anything that still makes you smile is worth keeping, Ruby. I've never had a laundry tag from a cruise ship.

 

Ruby, on my 20-day Panama Canal cruise last May, I bought enough underpants to wear a clean one per day, as I don't like people pawing through my underwear. I did send a few T-shirts and permanent-press shirts to the laundry one day, as pressing was not included in the freebie for Elite-level members.

 

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

Ruby, on my 20-day Panama Canal cruise last May, I bought enough underpants to wear a clean one per day, as I don't like people pawing through my underwear. I did send a few T-shirts and permanent-press shirts to the laundry one day, as pressing was not included in the freebie for Elite-level members. Donald.

 

Did your tees and shirts have identifier tags, tiny little strips, glued to your clothes with the cabin # and ship name? Sometimes the laundry uses tiny staples to fasten the tag to the item.

 

I always get these tags on my clothes and, most of the time, I carefully peel them off but that one Saga Rose tag will be affixed to my cotton dress in perpetuity!

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

Did your tees and shirts have identifier tags, tiny little strips, glued to your clothes with the cabin # and ship name? Sometimes the laundry uses tiny staples to fasten the tag to the item.

 

Ruby

 

No identifier tags that I recall. My fresh clothes were neatly folded and packed in a large paper bag that was stapled shut along with a notation with my name and cabin number. I suppose that the ship's laundry staff did every cabin's washing separately from other cabins.

 

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

No identifier tags that I recall. My fresh clothes were neatly folded and packed in a large paper bag that was stapled shut along with a notation with my name and cabin number. I suppose that the ship's laundry staff did every cabin's washing separately from other cabins.

Donald.

 

You have rung a faint memory bell for me. On Silversea Shadow, my delicates were neatly folded in a bag, or the dresses were on hangers in my closet. When I'm on a ship for 3-4 weeks, I have to have laundry or dry cleaning services altho' I never send my nice silk dresses for cleaning.

 

Several times, I had a knock at the door and the Asian launderer was delivering my clothes instead of Gideon, the butler. I was taken aback when I saw that the man was smoking a cigarette, getting fumes in my dresses on hangers. (heavy sigh).

 

It's amusing that the small subject of laundry can be such an interesting topic. Oh. Wait. Not?

 

Ruby

[Host Sharon]

Hi everyone. I'm just back from a wonderfully hot (and humid) Caribbean. I will sort through photos and post a review in due course but I do love Oriana - the perfect ship for long sea days IMO - and we had a fair number of those. I have even discovered a long-forgotten talent for shuffleboard.

 

As for them not building mid size ships any more - the new Queen Elizabeth is not THAT big, not for nowadays anyway and NO - sorry Ruby I will not be spending my hard-earned cash just to see what the Canberra 2 will be like - not at 141,000 tons!

[MMDown Under]

Hi everyone. I'm just back from a wonderfully hot (and humid) Caribbean. I will sort through photos and post a review in due course but I do love Oriana - the perfect ship for long sea days IMO - and we had a fair number of those. I have even discovered a long-forgotten talent for shuffleboard.

 

As for them not building mid size ships any more - the new Queen Elizabeth is not THAT big, not for nowadays anyway and NO - sorry Ruby I will not be spending my hard-earned cash just to see what the Canberra 2 will be like - not at 141,000 tons!

 

Welcome Back, Sharon.

 

Pleased you loved Oriana and your cruise to hot and humid Caribbean. Looking forward to your review and photos.

 

Did you have a favourite Caribbean island and did you enjoy the Azores?

Edited October 19, 2012 by MMDown Under

[MMDown Under]

Finally booked Ocean Princess, for my younger daughter and myself, for a 20 day cruise from Singapore to Sydney, departing 13th November.

 

It will be hot and humid, like Sharon's cruise.

[Saga Ruby]

Hi everyone. I'm just back from a wonderfully hot (and humid) Caribbean.

 

Finally booked Ocean Princess, for my younger daughter and myself, for a 20 day cruise from Singapore to Sydney, departing 13th November. It will be hot and humid, like Sharon's cruise.

 

Sharon - Do you own Caribbean cruise clothes or did you have to buy them? I am curious as to the effect of the warm-island weather on a Brit from a cold-weather island. Was the heat and humidity enjoyable or just to be born on a daily basis? There is nothing, as a Texan, that I enjoy more on a cruise than cold weather, a winter coat, wool slax.

 

Marion - Wow! You leave in less than 30 days! Wow! My all-time favourite airport is Changi in Singapore. What is your itinerary for this cruise?

 

Ruby

[MMDown Under]

Sharon - Do you own Caribbean cruise clothes or did you have to buy them? I am curious as to the effect of the warm-island weather on a Brit from a cold-weather island. Was the heat and humidity enjoyable or just to be born on a daily basis? There is nothing, as a Texan, that I enjoy more on a cruise than cold weather, a winter coat, wool slax.

 

Marion - Wow! You leave in less than 30 days! Wow! My all-time favourite airport is Changi in Singapore. What is your itinerary for this cruise?

 

Ruby

 

13 Nov 2012 Singapore

14 Nov 2012 At Sea

15 Nov 2012 Ko Samui, Thailand

16 Nov 2012 Bangkok (Laem Chabang), Thailand

17 Nov 2012 At Sea

18 Nov 2012 Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam

19 Nov 2012 At Sea

20 Nov 2012 At Sea

21 Nov 2012 At Sea

22 Nov 2012 Lombok, Indonesia

23 Nov 2012 At Sea

24 Nov 2012 At Sea

25 Nov 2012 Darwin, Australia

26 Nov 2012 At Sea

27 Nov 2012 At Sea

28 Nov 2012 At Sea

29 Nov 2012 Airlie Beach, Australia

30 Nov 2012 At Sea

01 Dec 2012 At Sea

02 Dec 2012 Sydney, Australia

03 Dec 2012 Sydney, Australia

 

Small ship with a good mixture of sea and port days. Love the thought of sleeping over opposite the Opera House and overlooking the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

 

Changi Airport is my favourite airport and hub also.

 

I will be trying out the new budget SCOOT Airlines (Singapore Airlines owned) from the Gold Coast to Singapore.

[Kapricorn]

Marion, I very much like the itinerary of your cruise, with all these sea days! You will get plenty of relaxation between the ports.

 

Donald.

[Host Sharon]

Sharon - Do you own Caribbean cruise clothes or did you have to buy them? I am curious as to the effect of the warm-island weather on a Brit from a cold-weather island. Was the heat and humidity enjoyable or just to be born on a daily basis? There is nothing, as a Texan, that I enjoy more on a cruise than cold weather, a winter coat, wool slax.

 

Ruby

 

I have to admit the heat was OK, but the humidity was a trial. When I first walked out on deck in Antigua, I couldn't get my breath as it was about 90% humidity and all my cameras steamed up. I took all my clothes with me - just cotton skirts, T-shirts and some strapless sundresses, although I bought a lovely local cotton dress in St Maarten for $19. I had a lovely time, but there was not that much sightseeing-wise - esxcept for the great wildlife - Frigate and hummingbirds, chameleons, mongooses, pelicans and sea turtles. These might be ordinary to some of you but very exotic to me!

 

One of the best moments was in Barbados, where I was a guest of the Port Agents and was escorted from the dockside to a beautiful silver Bentley, and given a personal tour of Bridgetown!

 

I think on reflection, as a January baby, I do prefer the colder climes on the whole, but as we never had any summer here in the UK, it was certainly nice to see some sun, and the light and skies of the Caribbean were fabulous.

[Saga Ruby]

Marion - I had to look up Airlie Beach, a port on your cruise. What is the attraction of that area and what will you plan to see at that stop? I agree with Donald that the sea days are very attractive.

 

Sharon - I really liked your attached photo. Where was that taken?

 

Ruby

[MMDown Under]

Marion - I had to look up Airlie Beach, a port on your cruise. What is the attraction of that area and what will you plan to see at that stop? I agree with Donald that the sea days are very attractive.

 

Ruby

 

Airlie Beach is one of the ports used by Cruise Lines for cruises for the Great Barrier Reef.

 

It is very popular for locals and backpackers as the access point for ferries to the beautiful Whitsunday Islands.

 

Strangely Airlie Beach has no real beach, so they built a very popular waterfront lagoon, which can be used all year (no stingers).

 

We stay in a little cottage at Airlie Beach, which I love. As well as all the national parks on the Whitsunday islands, you can do day trips through the sugarcane fields to Proserpine and north to my favourite Dingo Beach, Gloucester Beach and Bowen's beaches.

 

http://www.capeg.com.au/bistro/

[seabourndt]

not been on the site for a long time it is great this post is still going strong. only managed 1 cruise this year on MSC DIVINA was not my favourite one either hoping i will get a few nextb year although work for thew end of the year is not sounding great, site i work out is moving in december so will not be working there anymore.sad to hear SAGA RUBY is soon ending her saga career hope she is npot scrapped would love to go on her one last time.

dave

[MMDown Under]

not been on the site for a long time it is great this post is still going strong. only managed 1 cruise this year on MSC DIVINA was not my favourite one either hoping i will get a few nextb year although work for thew end of the year is not sounding great, site i work out is moving in december so will not be working there anymore.sad to hear SAGA RUBY is soon ending her saga career hope she is npot scrapped would love to go on her one last time.

dave

 

Nice to see you back on the thread, Dave.

 

Hope you find cruises to your liking next year.

[Kapricorn]

not been on the site for a long time it is great this post is still going strong. only managed 1 cruise this year on MSC DIVINA was not my favourite one either hoping i will get a few nextb year although work for thew end of the year is not sounding great, site i work out is moving in december so will not be working there anymore.sad to hear SAGA RUBY is soon ending her saga career hope she is npot scrapped would love to go on her one last time.

dave

 

Last week I received the latest issue of Sea Lanes. According to it, Saga Ruby will be retired in January 2014 at the end of her 31-night Christmas Caribbean cruise. Her future is uncertain, though it is likely that she will be scrapped.

 

Donald.

[seabourndt]

sea lines yes i get ut too, are you in the ocean liner society? i am too going to ship show on saturday in london going to be the last in its present form special as it is my birthday

dave

[Kapricorn]

sea lines yes i get ut too, are you in the ocean liner society? i am too going to ship show on saturday in london going to be the last in its present form special as it is my birthday

dave

 

Dave, yes, I am in the Ocean Liner Society, as I find its information and publications very invaluable. When I met Ruby in Vancouver, on embarkation day on her Silversea cruise, I gave her two or three of my past subscriptions which she seemed to find interesting.

 

Being in Vancouver on the West Coast of Canada has unfortunately prevented me from attending Ocean Liner Society's activities in the United Kingdom, especially their ship visits.

 

I hope that you will enjoy Saturday's ship show, and a very Happy Birthday to You, too. :)

 

Donald.